Daily News

Japan – Female employment a priority

18 July 2013

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reiterated its recommendation that Japan actively work to increase the number of women in employment. Whilst 92% of men between the ages of 25-54 are employed, female employment for the same age range stands at only 69%. The OECD average for women is 80%.

According to the report, the projected fall in the working-age population and Japan’s high elderly dependency ration call for measures to raise labour force participation. In the context of very rapid population aging, a key priority for Japan must be to make full use of its human resources, most notably by increasing the employment rate of women.

In June, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe unveiled Japan’s national growth strategy, which included plans to boost female employment. Abe previously called on corporation to have at least one female executive per company. At present, Japan has one of the lowest female participation rates of developed economics, with only one-third of Japanese mothers working, according to The Atlantic.

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